Current Trends and Research Hot Spots in Traumatic Birth: A Bibliometric Analysis

The identification of traumatic birth is becoming a major global health concern. Evaluating the existing research can help shape future directions for traumatic birth studies. This study aimed to provide a comprehensive and up-to-date summary of research articles on traumatic birth. We performed a bibliometric analysis using the Science Citation Index Expanded of the Web of Science Core Collection database, covering the period from January 1, 1985, to June 30, 2023. A total of 1,568 original articles were found, indicating a significant increase in traumatic birth research. The United States was the most prolific country, followed by Australia and Canada. The University of Sydney, the University of Toronto, and the University of Pittsburgh were the top 3 institutions in terms of published documents. The terms "infants," "perceptions," and "birth injuries" had the highest burst strengths. MeSH Bibliographic Item Co-Occurrence Matrix Builder analysis identified six major research topics, with birth injuries and their prevention and control, as well as brachial plexus/shoulder injuries and surgery, being the most concentrated areas. While traumatic birth is not yet universally recognized and its scope remains under discussion, it is increasingly becoming a significant issue. Understanding the priorities and trends of research can guide future academic endeavors, highlighting areas that require further investigation and development.